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EIB Statement of Environmental and Social Principles and Standards

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EIB Statement of Environmental and Social Principles and Standards EEEuuurrrooopppeeeaaannn IIInnnvvveeessstttmmmeeennnttt BBBaaannnkkk TTThhheee EEEIIIBBB SSStttaaattteeemmmeeennnttt ooofff EEEnnnvvviiirrrooonnnmmmeeennntttaaalll aaannnddd SSSoooccciiiaaalll PPPrrriiinnnccciiipppllleeesss aaannnddd SSStttaaannndddaaarrrdddsss111 222000000999 1 This document is divided into three parts. The first describes the general Background to the Statement, and refers to other documents that should be read in conjunction with the Statement in order for the reader to have a comprehensive understanding of the approach of the EIB towards environmental and social matters. The core of the document is the Statement itself, describing the environmental and social principles and standards of the Bank. This is designed as a stand-alone document, and has been the subject of public consultation. Finally, there are End Notes and a Glossary of terms, according to their use in the Bank. 1 CONTENT ACRONYMS ...........................................................................................................................................3 BACKGROUND.......................................................................................................................................5 THE STATEMENT ..............................................................................................................................10 PREAMBLE .......................................................................................................................................10 Environmental and Social Acceptability: Managing Opportunities and Risks.........................10 Increasing Environmental and Social Benefits.......................................................................11 Decreasing Environmental and Social Costs ...........................................................................12 PRINCIPLES ....................................................................................................................................13 Environmental and Social Principles............................................................................................13 STANDARDS ...................................................................................................................................15 General Environmental Standards ..............................................................................................15 Emission Standards ..................................................................................................................15 Ambient Standards ..................................................................................................................15 Procedural Standards ..............................................................................................................16 Environmental Standards in the EU and Enlargement Countries .............................................16 Environmental Standards in the Rest of the World .................................................................16 Social Standards: A Human Rights-based Approach ...............................................................17 Involuntary Resettlement........................................................................................................18 Indigenous People and Other Vulnerable Groups...................................................................18 ILO Core Labour Standards ....................................................................................................18 Occupational and Community Health and Safety...................................................................19 CULTURAL HERITAGE ...................................................................................................................19 CONSULTATION, PARTICIPATION AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE ...........................................20 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY .............................................................................................................21 CLIMATE CHANGE .........................................................................................................................22 END NOTES ........................................................................................................................................24 GLOSSARY ..........................................................................................................................................28 2 ACRONYMS ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific countries BAT Best Available Technology BBOP Business and Biodiversity Offsets Programme BREFs BAT Reference Documents CA Competent Authority/Authorities CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CEB Council of Europe Development Bank CMS Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals COP Corporate Operational Plan CSOs Civil Society Organisations DG ENV European Commission Directorate General Environment EA Environmental Assessment EAP Environment Action Programme EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EC European Commission ECCP European Climate Change Programme EEA European Environment Agency EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIB European Investment Bank EIF European Investment Fund EIS Environmental Impact Study/Statement EITI Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative EMAS Eco-Management and Audit Scheme ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan ESIAF Economic and Social Impact Assessment Framework EO European Ombudsman EPE European Principles for the Environment ESIAF Economic and Social Impact Assessment Framework EU ETS European Union Emissions Trading Scheme EU SDS EU Sustainable Development Strategy EU European Union FSC Forest Stewardship Council FL Framework Loans FYROM Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia GHG Greenhouse Gas HELCOM Helsinki Commission – Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission IFC International Finance Corporation IL Investment Loans ILO International Labour Organisation UNIPPC United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPPC Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control ISO International Organisation for Standardisation IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature 3 MFIs Multilateral Financial Institutions MDGs Millennium Development Goals ML Mid-Cap Loans NEFCO Nordic Environment Finance Corporation NIB Nordic Investment Bank NGOs Non-Governmental Organisations NTS Non-Technical Summary OJEU Official Journal of the European Union OSPAR Commission, Protecting and Conserving the North-East Atlantic and its Resources PJ Projects Directorate PDP Public Disclosure Policy SACs Special Areas of Conservation SAGs Social Assessment Guidelines SPAs Special Protection Areas SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment UNCBD United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation WBG World Bank Group WFD Water Framework Directive 4 BACKGROUND 1. As the long-term financing body of the European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB) promotes EU policies through its financial and other support to sustainable investment projects. The increasing prominence given to environmental and social considerations within the EU and throughout the other regions of operation of the Bank is reflected in its priority lending objectives as well as in the regular review and revision of its environmental and social requirements and operational practices. 2. The environmental and social policies, principles and standards as well as the operational practices of the EIB derive from and reflect the evolving EU approach and that of other international institutions towards the promotion of environmental sustainability and social well-being, in the broader context of the goal of sustainable development. 3. The EIB aims to add value by enhancing the environmental and social sustainability of all the projects that it is financing and all such projects must comply with the environmental and social requirements of the Bank. In particular, climate change, biodiversity and ecosystems considerations are integrated into the lending policies and practices of the Bank. The ability of the Bank to contribute positively in these respects is an important element of the non-financial value added that it brings to the projects it is financing. 4. Whereas the EIB finances projects for a number of EU policy reasons, among the priority lending priorities of the Bank in support of sustainable development is the protection and improvement of the natural environment and the promotion of sustainable communities. The types of project the Bank finances are described in the Corporate Operational Plan (COP)1, and elaborated in sector specific lending policies. The Bank aims to allocate a significant proportion of total lending to environmental protection and sustainable communities. Projects that qualify in this sense are those that make a significant contribution to the Priority Areas and Thematic Strategies of the EU Sixth Environment Action Program (EAP)2, and/or fulfil the objectives of EU Urban and Public Health strategies3, including the Leipzig Charter4. The EAP aims to give practical meaning to the objectives of the Treaty of the European Union (the “Treaty”)5, “of preservation of the environment, protection of human health, rational utilisation of natural resources and promotion of measures at international level” (Article 174 (1)). 5. The need to mitigate and adapt to climate change and
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